Bette Midler To Co-Host Very Controversial Political Fundraiser Tomorrow Night

Republicans are demanding Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren bounce Calypso king Harry Belafonte as co-host of her ritzy New York fundraiser tomorrow night, saying the croonerâ€™s controversial comments are â€œanti-American.â€

â€œHarry Belafonteâ€™s anti-American views are extreme and repugnant. He has praised Castro and Chavez, blamed the United States for the terrorist attacks that took place on 9/11 and denounced America as a villain in world affairs,â€ said MassGOP Executive Director Nate Little.

Belafonte called former President George W. Bush â€œthe greatest terrorist in the world,â€ while visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2006.

â€œElizabeth Warren has to be careful about who she is singing with, because some of the songs from some of these characters donâ€™t play well with the average Joe out there,â€ said John Feehery, a Washington, D.C.-based GOP strategist.

The Harvard Law professor also lists Broadway diva Bette Midler as a co-host tomorrow, according to an invitation. Warrenâ€™s camp, when questioned about Belafonte, responded in a statement: â€œScott Brown ought to be explaining to the people of Massachusetts how heâ€™s earned all his Wall Street money â€” itâ€™s a record thatâ€™s got Forbes magazine calling him one of Wall Streetâ€™s favorite senators.â€

Democratic consultant Steve McMahon said: â€œBette Midler and Harry Belafonte are endorsing Elizabeth Warren and her views, not the other way around.â€ Democrats, meanwhile, slammed Brown, noting that he took a $2,500 donation from Exxon Mobilâ€™s PAC on March 27, two days before he voted against a bill that would cut their tax subsidies.

â€œIt looks bad, particularly when youâ€™re running against someone who is seen as a consumer watchdog,â€ said D.C. Democratic consultant John Anzalone. A Brown spokesman called the slam â€œhypocritical,â€ saying Warren has taken contributions from Exxon Mobil employees.